When Niles Met Daphne-Part 4
by iloveromance
Summary: The fourth of eleven installments retelling the love story of Dr. Niles Crane and Daphne Moon in short story AU form, through all 264 episodes. Thank you to Pat2Trivia4Me for suggesting this series of stories and to Dustinw522 for chapter ideas.
1. The Two Mrs Cranes

_**A/N: This is the fourth installment of this series of romantic short stories about Niles and Daphne that I have written in AU form to have them interact in every single episode (even when they had no scenes together!). Seven more of these will follow, but since they all will eventually, if not sooner, fit together in some way, like pieces to a puzzle, it might help to read Part 1 first. Each story represents a season (this one being Season 4) and each episode is a chapter title. Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated!  
**_

 _(Niles POV)_

"This is my new husband, Niles Crane."

The words, although a huge exaggeration of the truth, were music to his ears; like the most beautiful symphony that had ever been written. But it wasn't just the words that had him floating high above cloud nine. It was the fact that Daphne was kissing him again and again, as though she really was in love with him.

So what if the charade was merely to impress-or deter rather-her old boyfriend-turned fiancé- Clive from rekindling their English romance? Niles would do anything to get close to Daphne, including something that would normally go completely against his ethics. He knew he should stop. It was wrong to continue this and he knew that he should just tell her to be completely honest with the man and tell him that she was no longer interested. Clearly that was the case. But his heart wouldn't let him say the words, no matter how much his conscience protested.

"Don't I feel like a … Wow… Well, congratulations, Niles! You're a very lucky man!"

"Th-thank you." Niles blurted out.

"Well I can see how happy you two are." Clive said, glancing at Daphne and the way she was holding tightly to Niles' arm. "But why didn't your mum announce it in the papers?"

"Oh, we decided not to do that silly stuff." Daphne said, pulling Niles closer to her. "Didn't we darling?"

"We certainly did-um, didn't." Niles said, trying to keep his voice from quivering.

"What?"

"Never mind, Clive." Daphne said. "The point is that Niles and I are very happy together and we love each other very much. Don't we, Darling?"

"Yes, absolutely. I love you, Daphne. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

The words made him feel euphoric, for they weren't simply words he'd made up. They were words he'd longed to say for as long as he could remember.

"And you're the most handsome man in the entire world." Daphne replied. She didn't mean it, of course but just to imagine that she did was enough to make him feel like he could fly. "I love you so much."

Before he could say anything more she was kissing him again and again. Her lips were so soft and it was becoming harder and harder to pull away. But to his dismay, she was the one who drew back first. "Darling, may I see you in the kitchen?"

"Of course, my angel!" He called to her. With the grace of Fred Astaire he floated into the kitchen where she was standing by the counter, her eyes wide. "What is it?"

"Oh Dr. Crane, I'm so sorry I caught you off-guard like that. I didn't expect him to just show up here at your brother's place. I didn't' mean to lie to him but it seemed like the kindest way to let him down. I didn't' mean to put you in an awkward position."

"Daphne, when it comes to you, no position is too…" He gasped as she bent over to put something on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, affording him a rarely seen glance at her backside. But all too soon she stood upright. Her hands were on his shoulders and she was looking at him in all seriousness. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes, um… Daphne, there's something I need to tell you. When I said that I loved you, I meant it. I really do love you."

Instead of being shocked, or even angry, she smiled and kissed his cheek. "That's perfect, Dr. Crane. Just say it exactly in that way and Clive will never know that we're not really in love. It's fun to pretend, isn't it?"

He sighed deeply and picked up the glasses of wine she'd poured and walked into the living room. Sure it was fun to pretend sometimes, but when it came to Daphne Moon, reality was so much better.

He may have missed his chance to tell her he loved her yet again, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying. He would continue to work on gathering his courage to tell her at the perfect moment-and it would be perfect. He'd make sure of it.

He'd imagined the scenario a hundred times before; champagne, flowers, candlelight, soft music… and the most beautiful woman imaginable in his arms. He could hardly wait for the reality to surface. But for now he'd continue to dream; and silently plan for their future.


	2. Love Bites Dog

( _Daphne's POV_ )

She couldn't look at the microwave; not without reliving the horrible memory of what she called The Muckabee Incident. Just the thought of it made her shudder. Mr. Crane had finally calmed down, but he still wasn't speaking to her; unless she spoke to him first. And even then it was hardly what she'd call a conversation.

She tried not to let it bother her, but it bothered her. It bothered her a lot. Oh, why did she have to be so bloody stupid and put his shoes in the microwave? And why did that damn store have to move? She'd never be able to find it and she wasn't about to go marching over to where it used to be if it meant kissing that disgusting homeless man. Once again she shuddered at that thought.

"Hello, Daphne."

She gasped, so startled by the sound of his voice that she very nearly screamed. "Bloody hell, Dr. Crane, you scared the life out of me!"

His mouth fell open and she could tell that he was remorseful. But her heart was on her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. "It's all right. I didn't mean to scare you. I just didn't realize that you were here."

"I know I shouldn't have just come in. I just… I needed someone to talk to."

She smiled, her anger melting immediately and she reached for his hand, taking note of the way he gasped softly. He was such a sweet man, and it was probably hard for him, being in the presence of a woman, even if that woman were she and they were the best of friends. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Dr. Crane. Your brother's not here and your father…"

Her pause caused his expression to change to one of worry and she regretted it imminently. "Oh damn… I'm just always ruining everything, aren't I?"

"Daphne, please don't say that! I'm sorry I startled you. But… Dad's all right, isn't he?"

She smiled, willing her silly tears away. "Of course he is. I've just been a little upset lately." At that moment, her eyes moved toward the microwave and she swallowed hard, causing Niles to move closer, his hand resting on her forearm. "Are you sure there's not something you want to talk about? Whatever it is, it might help."

His words warmed her heard and she held tightly to his fingers. "Oh, Dr. Crane I did something horrible to your father! Truly horrible!"

He had no idea how good it felt to finally say the words.

"What happened?"

"It was a complete accident I swear! I was just going to put your father's Mucakabees in the microwave for a moment to dry them. But I got distracted and started dinner. If your brother hadn't come into the kitchen, I would never have -."

He was staring at her in obvious confusion. "Mucka-what?"

" _Muckabees_." She clarified. "Oh, he was so angry! And he had every reason to be!"

"What are _Muckabees?_ "

"Shoes." She clarified again.

His eyes widened. "You put Dad's _shoes_ in the _microwave_?"

Niles' condescending tone made her feel even worse and for the first time since she could remember, she wished that he would leave. She knew he was hurting and she wasn't about to throw him out, but she couldn't deny that his words hurt. And so she simply turned away from him, crossing her arms as she let the tear that escaped make its way down her cheek.

"Daphne, I'm sorry. What happened?"

"Your father loved those shoes and they had gotten wet, so I stuck them in the microwave. Well he was pretty cross with me when he saw what I'd done so we went out to buy him some new ones, but the bloody store is gone! There was just an empty storefront and a scary-looking homeless man who refused to tell us where the new store was unless he got a kiss! It was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen!"

Niles' eyes widened. "Dear God, how dare he! That's horrible!" But then his expression changed. "Oh, I don't mean that it's horrible to kiss you of course. I-I can't imagine any man possibly thinking-." He ran his hand through his hair and his face flushed. At first she was flattered, but then something happened. His breathing changed and he began to cough violently.

"Dr. Crane, what is it? What's wrong?" She asked, going straight to work at rubbing his back. "Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine." He choked out. "I-I think I…"

Without hesitation she rushed to the tea kettle and poured him a cup of tea, handing it to him. "Here. Drink this."

"Th-thank you, Daphne." He said, taking a small sip.

"I'm sorry that your brother's not here, but if you need to talk-."

He sighed deeply. "I hate to burden you with my problems."

She smiled and hugged him warmly. "You're not a burden, Dr. Crane. You could never be and you will never be a burden. You're my friend and I lo-I care about you."

"Thank you Daphne. I care about-."

But once more his expression changed, causing her alarm.

"What is it?"

"Well, my financial situation of late has been less than stellar."

"Oh, that's nothing to be ashamed of. Believe me I know what it's like to be financially unstable."

"You're absolutely right Daphne. This is why you deserve a raise immediately. I'll tell Frasier."

She was horrified at what she'd implied. "NO! I-I mean, a raise would be lovely, but I meant you. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with your separation. I know it hurts and it must be difficult."

He nodded, his eyes falling to the floor. "It is. I didn't think that it would be, given what Maris did to fuel my decision, but it's hard… not being able to buy the things I'm used to buying."

"Dr. Crane-."

"Look, I know that you think I'm pretentious, and maybe I am, but-."

And at that moment she knew exactly what she had to do. She didn't know why she didn't think about it sooner.

"Stay right there, Dr. Crane. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"Just make yourself at home."

Before he could say another word, she made a beeline for her bedroom. Hidden deep in her dresser drawer was a long white envelope. Her fingers touched the smooth paper as she removed it from the drawer. She glanced at it, feeling her heart skip a beat. She'd had this envelope in her possession for as long as she could remember and it would certainly come in handy one day. But Niles needed it more. She knew he would never accept it but she was bound and determined to try.

Her heart was racing with nervousness as she returned to the kitchen.

"Daphne, is everything all right?"

She smiled and handed him the envelope. "This is for you, Dr. Crane."

He glanced at it in confusion. "For me? But I don't-."

"Please take it. I want you to have it."

He opened the envelope and his eyes widened. "Daphne… what is this?"

"Me savings. I've had that envelope since I first moved here."

"But Daphne-."

"Please take it, Dr. Crane."

"But what about you?"

"I'll be fine. I… don't even really know what I was saving for. Probably some silly dress or something I don't need at all."

He was staring at her in disbelief, the stack of bills in his hand. "But-."

"Please, Dr. Crane. I want you to have it."

"There must be well over five hundred dollars here. I can't take this money, Daphne. I'm sorry."

She nodded, blinking back tears. "I know, but I want you to have it. Do whatever you want with it. Buy a fancy tie or whatever you want."

She glanced at him, surprised to find tears in his eyes. "Daphne, I-."

"Please." She said again. "I don't feel right keeping that money for myself when you're having financial problems."

"I wish I hadn't told you. I never thought-."

"I'm glad you told me. But I'd be even gladder if you'd take the money."

He sighed deeply. "This is…. I can't quite believe it."

"You've done so many wonderful things for me, it's the least I can do."

"No, I can't."

"It would mean so much to me if you'd take it."

"Daphne-."

"Please? For me?"

He stared at the money in his hand and then sighed once more. "All right. But I'll pay you back, Daphne. Every penny and then some; as quickly as possible."

"It's not necessary.."

"Of course it's necessary. I''m going to make it up to you. I just-I can't tell you how much this means to me."

"It's nothing, Dr. Crane, I-."

She was in his arms, being held so close that she could feel his heart beating; could smell the faint scent of his cologne; feel his breathing against her neck.

"You're an angel, Daphne and I'll never forget this as long as I live."

When she heard him sniffling she drew back and stared at him in amazement. He was crying. The sight was almost too shocking to believe. "I-I didn't mean to upset you, Dr. Crane. I'm so sorry."

"I'm not. And I'm not upset. I'm just… This means the world to me."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

He drew her into his arms once more. "I'm wonderful. No, I'm _more_ than wonderful. And so are you."

At that moment she couldn't help but smile. For he was the most wonderful person she'd ever known.


	3. The Impossible Dream

_(Niles' POV)_

The room was dimly lit. The only light came from the old-fashioned crescent shaped lamp that sat on the nightstand and from the soft moonlight that cast a silver rod through the window and spilled onto the floor.

His heart pounded as he lay in the brass bed, his head cradled by soft pillows. She'd told him that she would come back-and he believed her. How could he not? He loved her more than anyone in the world. Her words could have been a lie, but he refused to believe it. She was an angel and a goddess; perfect in every way. So when she'd kissed him softly, his heart began to race.

"Is that it?" he'd asked. "You're leaving?"

"No…" She replied in that beautiful English accent. "That's not all. I am leaving, but don't worry. I'll be back."

So here he was, lying in wait for a goddess, an angel in a dimly lit room. But suddenly he realized that he'd been waiting much too long. Perhaps he'd underestimated her.

The thought nearly broke his heart.

He sighed deeply, blinking back tears that stung his eyes. Damn… He should have known. But he'd hoped. Oh, how he'd hoped.

Reluctantly he rose from the bed and glanced out of the window.  
Why hadn't he told her that he loved her long before now? Why? What was it that made him such a coward? If he'd told her how he felt and she rejected him, at least he'd know. But as it were he had no idea what she thought of him. And all he felt was loneliness.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and he turned in surprise when it opened. His mouth fell open in disbelief. The sight was so incredible that he had to blink to be certain that what he was seeing was real. For standing in the doorway, wearing a black French maid's uniform was….

He licked his dry lips, his heart pounding against his chest. It was as though he'd died and gone to heaven.

"D-Daphne?"

"I'm sorry that it took me so long, Niles."

He ran his hand through his hair, staring at her in disbelief.

"Is something wrong?"

"Y-you called me _Niles_."

She grinned, making his heart beat faster. "So I did. But that _is_ your name, isn't it?"

"O-of course, but-."  
"I would think that in a situation such as this, it's better to call you by your first name than your formal name, don't you?"

"S-situation?"

"I'm sorry to sound so crass, because this is quite a romantic setting; soft light, the full moon, an incredibly handsome and sexy man… a brass bed… and we're all alone. And it's perfect for our first time."

"F-first time?" His words came out in a squeak.

"Well, it's _our_ first time anyway. Never mind what you've done with other women."

"O-other women?"

She moved closer and kissed him, leaving his mouth burning with fire. "Forget about those other women, whoever they are. Tonight it's just you and I."

"But-."

She kissed him again, making her intentions known. "Shall we get started?"

"I-um…"

Another fiery kiss followed. "Don't be nervous. Daphne won't let anything happen to you."

Those words… they were the same words she'd said to him at the Snow Ball...right before she'd broken his heart. "Y-you called me an actor." He blurted out.

"What?"

"At the Snow Ball… You called me an _actor._ But I swear, I wasn't…"

"Come on, we'd better get started. The night won't last forever."

Before he knew what was happening, she was unbuttoning his shirt. It slid down his shoulders and fell to the floor.

"Now… let's get this undershirt off of you."

Her hands were around his waist, moving upwards and he dutifully raised his arms allowing her to slide the shirt over his head. The air hit his bare chest and he shivered. But it wasn't from the cold. And when her hands moved downward and began unbuttoning his pants, the room began to spin.

The next thing he knew, he was lying on the bed once more, just as he had been when she'd come in.

"Give me your hands."

He reached out, shivering once more as she took them in one of hers. Her other hand produced a satin rope, which she began tying loosely around his wrists.  
"What are you doing?"

His hand moved to the bedpost. First one... and then the other. "Daphne…"

She smiled, leaning to kiss his mouth yet again. "I'm just getting you ready. Now hold on tight."

When his hands were securely bound, she moved toward him and climbed onto the bed, covering his body with hers. "Shall we begin?"

He looked into her brown eyes, getting lost in them almost immediately. "You're the most beautiful angel I've ever seen."

Tears filled those brown eyes of hers and she stroked his cheek with her fingers. "Well, aren't you sweet? Thank you, Niles. And you are the sexiest, most handsome man in the world."

He was euphoric. No woman had ever said such things to him, and certainly not a goddess like Daphne Moon. "Daphne, that's-."

She silenced him with a kiss. "No more talking, all right? Now... let's get started."

* * *

He could feel his body moving slowly back and forth, as though he were riding the waves in the ocean on a warm summer day.

"Dr. Crane? Dr. Crane? Can you hear me?"

"Yes…" he sighed. "Oh yes… And I can feel you, Daphne… I-." Slowly his eyes opened and he looked around. No longer was his head on a pile of pillows, but on a hard surface; a table of sorts.

"Are you all right?"

He lifted his head and tried to focus. The room, the bed and the lamp were gone. Light was coming through the windows. Something was going on. He blinked, allowing her to come into view. But she wasn't wearing a French maid's outfit. She had on a green sweater and a flowered skirt. There was no denying that she looked lovely, but-

"Daphne…"

"Yes, it's me. Thank God, you're all right. Are you all right?"

Her hand was on his shoulder, warm and gentle.

"I-I…"

"I came in to buy some beans and you were sitting here by yourself, sound asleep."

"I-I was? But where-."

"Café Nervosa. Don't you remember?"

"I-I don't…"

She sat down beside him. "You poor man, you're exhausted. I don't blame you, what with your separation and all. I hope the money is helping."

"Money?"

"Yes, the money that I gave you."

He thought for a moment and then he remembered the envelope that she'd given him the week before; the one containing what was probably her life savings. The money that he vowed never to spend; he couldn't. He wouldn't. But to say that to her would shatter her. "It is, Daphne. I can't thank you enough."

Her fingers went to his lips. "You've already thanked me more than enough. I just wish it could have been more."

Of course,after all, it was the most selfless gesture he'd ever known. "Well then, I thank you from the bottom of my heart-."

"No, I mean… I wish I had more money to give you."

"Nonsense, Daphne. It's more than enough. It's more than I ever dreamed or even deserve."

She smiled. "Why don't you go home and get some rest? You're exhausted and I don't even think all of the coffee in this café would help. Sleep is what's best."

Reality crashed down upon him. "All right. But the thought of being alone-."

She hugged him, affording him the intoxicating combination of her hair and her perfume. "You're not alone, Dr. Crane. You have your brother and your father."

He nodded. "I know. And you're right, Daphne. I do."

Her lips fell upon his cheek. "And you have me." She whispered into his ear. "Don't ever forget that."

He hugged her tightly, never wanting to let go.

The scenario wasn't nearly as enjoyable as his dream had been, but it was something to work toward. He wouldn't have even had the borderline erotic dream about Daphne had it not been for Frasier's strange dream involving Gil and Niles' suggestion that Frasier use word association to piece the dream together. But it was more than that. If only he could find it in his heart to tell her how he felt. Perhaps one day.


	4. A Crane's Critique

( _Daphne's POV_ )

She opened the door and entered the foyer, surprised to find him sitting on the sofa. She sat the shopping bags on the floor. "Dr. Crane."

He stood and turned to her. "Oh… Daphne."

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was just-."

"I'm still cross with you."

He nodded, lowering his head. "I know."

"How could you, Dr. Crane? Snooping through poor Mr. Houghton's personal belongings like that? You should be ashamed of yourself! Which reminds me, where's your brother?"

"At Duke's."

"Oh, with your father and Mr. Houghton?"

"No, actually he went by himself. Dad and Mr. Houghton went to the Mariner's game."

"Your brother went to a bar? Alone?"

"He's depressed. And so am I."

"You _should_ be!" She snapped. "You _deserve_ it! The both of you deserve it!"

Again he lowered his head. "I know. But it's not Frasier's fault. It's mine."

"It's _both_ of your faults! Really, Dr. Crane I can't believe you! I -." She paused when she noticed his sad expression.

"It's not his fault, Daphne. It's mine." He said again. "And I was hoping that this sherry would ease my guilt, but it seems like nothing ever will."

Her heart went out to him. He looked so sad. But she wasn't about to give in. She was still angry and very disappointed. A man of his ethics should know better than to go through another man's belongings. But there was no sense in lecturing him any further, even though she wanted to. The remorse on his face and the tears in his eyes told her that he regretted what he had done. And then his words confirmed it.

"Daphne, I'm deeply sorry for my actions. What Frasier and I did was not only terrible, it was wrong. But I'm the one who started it, so I should be the one blamed, not Frasier."

"Well… As long as you've learned your lesson and won't let it happen again."

"I won't. I promise."

Had she not been so cross with him, she might have laughed. They were like parent and child having a discussion about the child's wrong-doing.

"Nothing good ever comes of snooping through other people's things." She pointed out. Believe me, I know. My brothers were always snooping through me diaries, trying to find out my personal secrets."

He sighed deeply. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Daphne. And you're right. Nothing good came out of reading Mr. Houghton's manuscript."

"Well, as long as you realize that."

"No, I mean it was a complete disaster! I ruined Mr. Houghton's career and perhaps his life!"

"I don't understand."

"The manuscript; it was brilliant, Daphne. Brilliant beyond brilliant. We tried to tell him that, but when I pointed out the way he skillfully mirrored the structure of Dante, he took it the wrong way."

"What do you mean?"

"He threw the whole thing out of the balcony! Every last page of his manuscript! Frasier and I watched in horror as they fluttered to the ground. It was the most humiliating thing I've ever seen in my life!"

When he slumped onto the sofa, clearly spent, she sat down beside him, placing her hand on his back. "You were just being honest. But I'm sorry he took your praise as being crass."

"Thank you Daphne. But it's too late now. We've ruined him."

"Perhaps I could talk to him."

His head rose. "You mean-."

"Sure. He's a very nice man and a good friend of your father's . Perhaps I can get him to change his mind. I'm sure he has another copy somewhere."

"You'd really do that for me?"

She took his hands and smiled. "I'd do anything for you, Dr. Crane; even when you make me angry."

"I'm sorry Daphne. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You were thinking about yourself."

Her words were blunt, but he needed to hear them.

"I still have some money left over from me shopping trip. Why don't we get some ice cream?"

His mouth fell open in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes, now come on. We won't be gone long."

As they walked across the hall and waited for the elevator, she smiled at him. It was impossible to be mad at him for long.

She loved him too much.


	5. Head Game

_(Niles' POV)_

When the buzzer sounded, jarring Niles nerves even more, he'd never been happier to get out of an establishment in his life. And if it weren't for the angel sitting beside him in the court side seats, he was sure that he would have gone stir-crazy.

"Wasn't that a wonderful game, Dr. Crane?" She was asking. "Oh, I enjoyed it so much!"

But the only thing he noticed was the way she was holding his hand.

"I'm glad, Daphne. I didn't really enjoy it, but I appreciated your explaining it to me in language I could understand. It was very clever to explain it in opera terminology."

She laughed melodically, making his heart sing along with it. "It was my pleasure. I could see how uncomfortable you were and it was the easiest way I could think of to explain it so that you'd understand."

"It was brilliant."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. I know that basketball's not your cup of tea. It's not mine either, but agreeing to go to the game with your father made him very happy."

"Well, it doesn't say much for my skills as a psychiatrist."

"Oh, don't say that. So what if Reggie McLemore thinks his good luck is from rubbing your head. The important thing is that you helped him."

"I suppose. But-."

"You're a good man, Dr. Crane. You should be proud of how you turned his career around. It may not be conventional but it made him happy."

He felt his cheeks flush. "You're absolutely right, Daphne."

"I'm proud of you, and don't forget that, okay?"

Before he could react, he was engulfed in her arms and she was holding him close. Suddenly he felt her fingers in her hair; a sensation that made him draw back and stare at her in disbelief. To his amusement, she began to laugh.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I just wanted to see if Reggie's theory would work for me!"

"Oh…"

She reached for his hair once more, and ran her fingers through it. "Your hair is so soft." She said, almost dreamily. " It feels so good on me fingers."

Suddenly it was hard to breathe. "Th-thank you, Daphne."

"You don't mind my doing this do you?" she asked, continuing to stroke his hair.

He swallowed hard, not entirely certain that he wouldn't faint. "Um… no.. not at all."

Another hug and a kiss on his cheek. "I'm glad. Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"Thank you? For what?"

She smiled at him and took his hand. "For everything."


	6. Mixed Doubles

_(Daphne's POV)  
_

Daphne's heart leaped in her chest, thinking of the man she would be seeing in just a few hours. After having her heart broken by Joe she was certain that she'd never find anyone else to love-and that no one would ever love her in return. And it was with great reluctance that Daphne allowed Roz to drag her to Granville's for drinks. Being in a bar was the last thing she wanted to do. But Roz was nothing if not persistent and so Daphne was forced to listen to her friend go on and on about all the available men that surrounded them. She never imagined that she would be sitting on a bar stool only to be whirled around to find herself face to face with an extremely handsome man.

She was just about to turn to Roz and protest but miraculously Roz had disappeared. It was easy to strike up a conversation with this man-Rodney, as his name turned out to be. He was intellectual and incredibly fascinating. She could have listened to him talk all night. And she very nearly did.

One thing led to another and soon they were dating. She couldn't wait to show him off, but when they arrived at Frasier's, she couldn't help noticing how uncomfortable Niles seemed. She could certainly understand, however. The poor man was going through a terrible separation from his wife, and even though he was very proud of the woman he held on his arm (a stunningly gorgeous blonde named Adele), Daphne couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of jealously. Dare she think that he was feeling the same way?

But she wasn't going to think about that now. She had Rodney and that suited her just fine. Her heart skipped another beat just thinking about him and she had just enough time to slip into Café Nervosa for a quick cup of tea before making her way to Granville's. So romantic that he wanted to meet in the very spot where they had met just weeks before.

However, as she neared the entrance to the café she could sense that something wasn't right. A flash came over here but she couldn't quite make out what it meant. Perhaps it was nothing and it was just her imagination. Ever since her breakup with Joe, she'd been quite paranoid, always wondering what could go wrong to ruin her relationship with Rodney, and so far, nothing had happened. Rodney wasn't Joe; far from him.

So she took a deep breath and prepared to head into the Café. But she wasn't prepared at all to see Niles talking to someone. When he mentioned her name, her curiosity was peaked. He'd said something about it being better coming from a friend. What on earth was he talking about?

"Dr. Crane?"

He looked up, clearly surprised to see her. "Daphne…"

"I heard you mention my name and I was just wondering-." She stepped into the café and froze at the sight. No… it wasn't possible…

And yet it was.

There, in the cozy corner seat by the window sat Rodney, his fingers entwined with Adele's. Her gaze went to Niles and then back to Rodney. He and Adele moved away from each other at once, and it was Rodney who spoke first. "I was going to call you." He stammered. "I… I didn't mean for this to happen, Daphne. It just…"

But Daphne refused to listen to anymore. At once she burst into tears and ran out of the café as fast as she possibly could. She had to get out of there; to get as far away from that man as possible. Tears were blinding her vision as she ran down the sidewalk, unaware that she was being followed. And it was only when she found that she could run no more that she heard someone calling her name.

"Daphne-."

As she had done at Granville's she slowly turned around. But it wasn't Rodney standing before her. It was Niles. And the sympathetic look on his face was enough to send her into his arms, crying as though she would never stop.

Why did love have to be so complicated? And why was she feeling the way she felt about a man who was her best friend?

Why was she falling in love with him?

They were questions she simply could not answer. And as she cried in his arms, feeling the soothing comfort of his touch, she realized that it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he cared.

When she was all cried out (or so she thought), she slowly drew back from him. He opened his mouth to say something but she silenced him by placing her fingertips against his lips. "Thank you, Dr. Crane, for being here for me."

He nodded and hugged her close. "I'm always here for you, Daphne. Always."


	7. A Lilith Thanksgiving

( _Niles POV_ )

Niles smiled as he hung up the phone. "Well, everything is all set for a rustic Thanksgiving at my cabin in the mountains. I have everything planned to the letter and this holiday should be nothing less than perfect! I can hardly wait!"

His words were true, and had never been truer. He wanted this Thanksgiving to be the best ever, for there was no way it could possibly be worse. Thank God for Frasier and his father. He wasn't sure if it was the spirit of the holidays or a lack of oxygen to their brains, but both men were surprisingly sympathetic. He knew that they disapproved of his choices and he was sure that they would say "I told you so" a million times over after they heard the news.

But instead they'd been reassuring, kind and had even touched Niles' heart with their affectionate , it was just the occasional pat on the back and even some hugs, but they had no idea how much those things meant to Niles. If he wasn't so shy and cowardly, he might even find the courage to thank them. But not now.

Their mother always said "A handshake is as good as a hug." But Niles began to wonder if maybe she wasn't entirely serious. Hugs were the most wonderful things in the world as far as he was concerned. It worked for his patients and they were definitely working wonders

"I have to admit that I'm a bit jealous." Daphne was saying now.

"I don't understand." Niles replied. "You'll be with us, so why-." And suddenly he realized what she meant. It pained him to know that she couldn't afford the things that he could afford. Granted the cabin had been inherited in the divorce, but he couldn't say the same for his luxury car, his clothes or his expensive tastes. And, dare he ever get the chance, he vowed to show Daphne how much he loved her by buying her whatever luxurious items she desired. No price was too big for the happiness of Daphne Moon.

"No I won't." She said, interrupting his thoughts.

"I-I'm sorry, what?"

"I won't be with you."

He grinned sheepishly. "Well, not in the same room, perhaps, but-."

"No, I mean… not at all. I can't come."

"What?" he shouted.

"Niles, just calm down, okay? I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation-."

"Daphne, what are you saying?" Niles asked, focusing only on his angel. At that moment she was the only one who existed.

"I'll be in San Francisco. With me Uncle Jackie."

His jaw nearly dropped. "What? But why-."

"Because I love him." She blurted out. "And because I haven't seen him in years. And now that I live so close it felt right to accept his invitation to spend Thanksgiving with

him. You understand that, don't you?"

"I-."

"Of _course_ he understands!" Frasier interrupted. "We all understand, don't we Dad?"

"Yeah, Daphne has family too!" Martin tried to reason. But it didn't make the hurt any easier. He'd been looking forward to this for months, ever since the inevitable happened. Finally he was free to be himself in the company of an angel. But now his holiday was ruined. He'd never, ever blame her but if she had been able to come with them, he wouldn't be feeling such disappointment.

And then the unthinkable happened. She took his hand in hers, making him shiver from her touch. "I wish I could be there, but I promised me Uncle Jackie. I promise I'll be with you all for Christmas. Uncle Jackie's going to _Rio_ of all places! Who goes to Rio Rio De Janeiro for Christmas?"

"Obviously your Uncle Jackie." Frasier quipped.

Daphne laughed. "Yeah but he's a transvestite and that's the perfect place for him to try on all of the dresses he wants and no one would be the wiser."

Frasier's eyebrows rose. "Ah…"

But she couldn't help noticing Niles' quiet mood. "I can hardly wait for Christmas." She said, trying to diffuse the tenstion in the air.

"Right…" He said, nodding again.

"I know you're upset but I think you should know something , Dr. Crane."

"What's that?"

Her arms went around him, holding him close as she rested her head on his chest. "I'll miss you. Dr. Crane."

He held her closer than ever before. "I'll miss you too, Daphne."

Truer words had ever been spoken.


	8. Our Father Whose Art Ain't Heaven

( _Daphne's POV)_

She couldn't believe her eyes. At first, she even thought that she might have entered the wrong apartment by mistake. But there was no mistaking the faces of the men she loved so much. It was the expression on their faces that had her completely baffled. The men, the Crane brothers who valued their ability to hold in emotions for as long as they could were sitting in the living room;' Martin in chair, Frasier on the sofa and Niles at the piano…. _Crying._

She rushed inside at once, staring at the men in disbelief. "What's going on?" She demanded.

Frasier spoke first. "I made… our father cry!" he sobbed.

"What? But I don't understand! How-."

"H-he didn't like my painting!" Martin sobbed.

Her eyes went to the hideous painting that once hung above the fireplace but now was laying against it. And if it were up to her, the painting would be in it, with the flame lit as high as it could go. The thought would have made her laugh where it not for all of the tears. But she couldn't pretend that she liked the so-called work of art. "Well…"

She said carefully. "I don't like it either, but that's no reason to cry about that silly painting!"

"It was a gift to my son and he doesn't appreciate it!" Martin sobbed.

"I do appreciate it, Dad! I do!" Frasier was saying.

Daphne had barely been home for five minutes and she'd already had much more than she could take. "Why don't you just forget about that silly painting and stop this ridiculous crying!" She snapped. "You're grown men, so start acting like it!" She knew that initially her harsh words would only serve to upset them more, but she'd learned that it was best to be firm in times like this.

She stared at Frasier. "Dr. Crane, look at me! Your father bought you that painting because he loves you and he thought that you might like it so the least you can do is be appreciative. And as for you, old man…" She said glaring at Martin. "You're supposed to set an example for your son, even at your age! You don't cry at the drop of a hat! That's wrong!"

Amazingly her lecture seemed two work wonders and before long the two elder Crane men were embracing.

"I'm sorry Dad. Thank you for the painting." Frasier said. "Thank you very much. I'll cherish it."

"Nah, don't pretend to like something you hate." Martin said. "How about we go out tomorrow and get you something you really want?"

"Dad, I don't need anything."

"I know… but I want to do this for you."

Finally Frasier smiled. "All right. That sounds like fun. Thanks Dad."

"No problem."

She smiled at the sweet moment, but her happiness was short-lived when she saw Niles sitting at the piano, his slender fingers brushing against the keys. She suspected that he wasn't crying over some silly painting. It was clear what was causing his pain.

He was missing his wife.

She walked toward him and gestured to the piano bench. "May I?"

"Oh… of course." He nodded, silently asking her to sit.

Her hand went to his shoulder. "What has you crying so? This isn't like you at all Dr. Crane." She said softly.

"Nobody wants to come to my party!" He sobbed.

He sounded so much like a little boy that she wanted to laugh. But she didn't dare. Instead she hugged him warmly. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane. First your separation from your wife and now this. It's not fair. But to hell with those people!"

His head rose in confusion. "What?"

"If they don't want to come to your party, then they're not worth your time! But don't let them spoil your fun! Have your party anyway!"

His mouth curved upward just the slightest and for a moment she thought he might smile. "What?"

"Well sure! Why not? I bet your father would come and I know that your brother would come! And we can invite Roz and some people from the station. And of course I'll be there."

She heard him gasp. "You will?"

"Well of course I will! You don't think I'd miss this, do you?"

"No, but-."

She swallowed hard, thinking of the inevitable. It was certainly possible but something she hadn't considered. "Unless you don't want me there."

"No… I mean… yes, of course I do. I want you there most of all." He blurted out.

She wasn't sure if his words were out of sincerity or obligation gut she didn't care. He'd said them and there was no taking them back.

Impulsively she hugged him again, kissing his damp cheek. "Oh, this is so exciting, Dr. Crane. I can hardly wait.

In response he hugged her even tighter, making her heart flutter. "I feel the same way, Daphne."


	9. Dad Loves Sherry, The Boys Just Whine

_(Niles' POV)_

Niles could hardly contain his excitement as he stood at Frasier's doorstep. He couldn't wait to share his news with someone, although his first attempt at telling Frasier hadn't gone well at all. Instead of being happy, or even proud of his little brother, Frasier had made him feel inferior. He shouldn't have been surprise, for the Crane boys were always trying to outdo each other. But he was surprised at how much the shunning hurt.

Dare he hope that his father and Daphne would be happy for him when he shared his news? It was certainly worth a try. And so as he stood at his brother's door, he rocked back and forth on his heels, trying to slow his rapidly beating heart.

But the sight of his angel opening the door only served to increase his pulse. Wearing a red and black shirt and black pants, she looked absolutely beautiful.

"Hello, Dr. Crane. What brings you here?"

He grinned. "Actually Daphne, I have some news."

"Well, come on in." She said, opening the door wider. "Your brother's not here at the moment, but-."

"To hell with Frasier!" He shouted, startling himself as he entered the foyer. But then remorse set in. He had no right speaking to Daphne so harshly. Frasier's inconsiderate behavior was not Daphne's doing at all. "I'm sorry, Daphne." He said in a poor attempt to make amends. "I guess I'm just frustrated."

"I can certainly see that but what has that got to do with-."

"Damn him!" Niles shouted, the guilt returning a second time. He made his way to the sofa and sat down, trying desperately to calm his anger. He wasn't sure what had gotten into him. It definitely wasn't the first time (nor would it be the last) that Frasier had discounted him. But it still upset him deeply.

He felt the sofa cushion shift, indicating that she'd sat down beside him. And then he felt the small warmth of her hand on his back. "Are you all right, Dr. Crane?"  
When he looked at her he realized immediately that his expression must have been one of annoyance. Another wave of guilt set in.

"God, what's wrong with me?" She said after a time. "Of course you're not okay! Anyone can see that! Is there something you'd like to talk about? I know I'm not your brother, but-."

"Actually Daphne, I'd much rather talk to you than to Frasier." He admitted.

She froze, as though he had stunned her with his words. This visit was not going well at all. In less than a half an hour, he'd managed to make her feel guilty for something she had absolutely no control over. Her mouth formed a small circle and she nodded. "Oh…"

"He completely discounted me!" Niles blurted out. The act freed him from the anger he'd been feeling inside. "He's just jealous, that's what he is!"

Finally she smiled. "Well, I can understand that. You two are brothers. It's only natural to be jealous. I know I feel jealous toward me brothers all t time! It's a good thing I don't have a sister, isn't it?" She laughed, a sound that soothed him, but it wasn't enough.

"I'm sorry. So what happened? You sounded so excited when you came over."

He looked at her in confusion for a moment and then reality returned. "Oh right… Well… I won, Daphne!"

"Won what?"

"The Marriot Fessbinder Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literature of Psychiatry! I wrote an article entitled _Me, Me, Me... A Case History of a Narcissistic Opera Singer_."

Again she threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, that's very clever, Dr. Crane! Congratulations!"

Without giving him a chance to respond, she hugged him tightly. "I'm so proud of you, Dr. Crane and I'm sorry that your brother wasn't very nice to you. But if you want to know a secret, I know he's proud of you too."

He shuddered beneath her touch and then drew back, feeling a bit dizzy. "Thank you, Daphne."

"You're welcome, Dr. Crane. Would you like some tea?"

"Um, no thank you. Actually I'll just make a sherry."

"Of course, this is your home too."

But then to his horror, she'd no sooner headed into the kitchen when she stopped at the door, sobbing into her hands. And then she grabbed a bottle of wine.

"Daphne, are you all right?"

She turned and smiled at him, but the smile was anything but genuine. "Yes, I'm fine."

He could see that she was not fine. Not at all.

"I was just thinking about Joe."

He sighed deeply, remembering the afternoon she'd come home from her date with that man. It had turned out to be their last date. "Right. I'm so sorry about what happened, Daphne."

"It's all right. It's for the best, really. I mean, how silly it was of me to be constantly thinking about him; the home we might have shared, the children we might have had. Did I mention that Joe is getting married?"

Even Niles was stunned by this news and he knew how much it must have hurt her."Oh, Daphne, no…"

She nodded. "Yes. And I'm happy for him, really. Well, I'm a bit tired so I'm going to go lie down for a bit."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

She turned around and when their eyes met, she burst into tears once more.

He was beside her at once, gently taking the bottle from her hand. This was not the time for Frasier's wine to shatter on the floor. He held Daphne close, relieved not to have Frasier around to tell him to go away. "I'm so sorry, Daphne." He said, softly. "I know how much you cared for him."

"I did!" She cried, clinging to him.

"I know it hurts."

"It does…" she said tearfully.

He held her for a long time, letting her cry for as long as she needed to. And then he drew back.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. You're a wonderful friend." She said, smiling at him.

His heart sank, but he couldn't let his disappointment show. "So are you, Daphne. And I promise, one day you'll meet a man who loves you more than you can ever imagine. Perhaps it's someone you already know. You just have to find each other."

Another hug and a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. Thank you so much."


	10. Liar! Liar!

_(Daphne's POV)_

She'd just finished putting Frasier's clothes into his top drawer exactly the way he liked them when she heard the yelp of pain. Alarmed, she closed the drawer and rushed into the living room. She'd know that voice anywhere. And just as she feared she saw him, standing in the foyer, a look of pain on his face.

"Dr. Crane, what's wrong?"

He turned to her and cringed, causing her heart to go out to him, as it always did when he appeared to be hurting. But he smiled anyway, doing his best to make it seem genuine. She could only imagine what he was feeling inside.

"Oh… Daphne…"

"You weren't leaving were you?"

"Well, I… Oohhh..."

She rushed toward him and took his hand. "You poor man! You're still in pain, aren't you? Well, I know just the thing. Some stronger liniment should take care of that." It was hard to believe that the liniment she'd already applied on his aching back hadn't seemed to help, but she was more than happy to do whatever it took to make him feel better. She couldn't bear to see him hurting. "I'll be right-."

"NO!"

His outburst startled her and he seemed to be surprised as well.

"What?"

"N-no liniment." He stammered. "Daphne, please…"

When she moved closer to him, he recoiled, stinging her heart. He'd never reacted to her touch in such a way before, but she tried not to take it personally. "What's wrong?"

"No liniment, Daphne. I can't do it. I just can't."

"But how is your back ever going to get any better, if-."

"I can't Daphne. I-I have to leave. It just hurts too much."

Suddenly she understood, and she wanted to sink though the floor. She'd done the one thing that she swore she'd never do. "Y-you mean… I hurt you?"

He sighed, as though irritated with her. "Yes. Very much."

Her eyes filled with tears and she stared at him for a moment. "I see… Excuse me."

"Daphne-."

But she ignored him and ran to his brother's room. She closed the door and sat on his bed, not caring that he may come home any minute and erupt in anger when he realized that she was in his room. And it was there that she began to cry until her cries became sobs. She was only trying to help him, but she'd made things worse. He was angry with her and she'd never forgive herself. She certainly couldn't sit in Frasier's bedroom and cry all afternoon. Perhaps some tea would make her feel better. But she'd barely made it to the living room when she sank onto the sofa and cried some more.

Moments later the doorbell rang, but she chose to ignore it. She heard a key in the lock and the turning of the knob. It was most likely Frasier, returning from his silly meeting at work. She wanted to run into her room, to avoid the confrontation that she knew was coming, but she didn't have the strength. And so she sat on the sofa, crying quietly. The door opened and she kept her gaze focused on the kitchen, staring into space. And then she heard her name.

"Daphne…."

The sofa cushion shifted beneath his weight but when she turned her head she found that it wasn't Frasier's hand on her back. It was Niles. His handsome face was blurred by her tears.

"Dr. Crane…"

"Daphne, I am so sorry." He said, his voice filled with compassion.

"I just wanted to make you feel better." She said, her voice broken. "I never meant to hurt you. I would never-."

"I know. And please don't blame yourself, Daphne. You've been a complete angel."

His words and the sweet (yet completely untrue) name warmed her heart. She took his hand in hers, wanting so badly to bring it to her lips for a kiss; even a small one. "Dr. Crane.."

"It is I who hurt you. And for that I will never forgive myself."

"No…" she said, realizing that there was only one way to make things right. She smiled and softly kissed his cheek. "Just stay here and I'll be right back."

She hurried into the kitchen where she grabbed a blue cloth that she kept in the refrigerator. It was, perhaps an odd place for a cloth, but it came in handy when treating burns and the like. When she returned she saw him eying the cloth. And that's when she realized that he no longer trusted her. "What's wrong?"

"I-I…"

"Here… sit down and this will make you feel better." She reassured him.

He swallowed hard, looking so frightened that it broke her heart. "No, I…"

"Just relax." She said, sitting down beside him. "I promise this won't hurt a bit. Now untuck your shirt."

"I-I can't." He said after a long silence.

She nodded, blinking back tears. "All right." Wordlessly she rose and was about to head for the kitchen when she heard her name.

"Daphne?"

"Yes?"

"What's that?"

Her eyes moved the cloth in her hands. "A cooling cloth." She explained. "I thought it might soothe your skin."

Dutifully he lay on the sofa and lifted the hem of his shirt. As gently as possible she moved the cloth to his upper back, but when he shivered she lightened her touch. But the sight of his skin brought more tears to her eyes. "Oh Dr. Crane… your back is so red! I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It will heal, I promise. And that cloth feels wonderful."

She smiled, continuing to press the cloth lightly against his back until some of the redness had disappeared. He looked so relaxed that she thought he might have fallen asleep. "Dr. Crane?"

He lifted his head and smiled. "Thank you, Daphne. That feels wonderful."

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Dr. Crane."

He sat upright and smiled as he engulfed her into his arms, surprising her. "What's this for?"

She felt him move his face closer to her hair and inhale deeply, the way he'd done so many times. "To thank you, Daphne."

"But I didn't…"

He held her a little closer and she melted against him. "Yes you did, Daphne. You're an absolute angel."

She was hardly an angel but at that moment, she chose to believe it.


	11. Three Days of the Condo

_(Niles' POV)_

When the door opened, Daphne appeared, making his heart swell, as it always did. She was truly and angel, and the most beautiful woman in the world. If only he had the courage to tell her so. He'd already thanked her profusely for soothing his aching back when he was feeling discomfort from the liniment that she'd applied, but it didn't seem like enough. He could never thank her enough for everything she'd done for him in the four short years that they'd known each other. It felt as though they'd known each other for much, much longer.

He looked at his brother and father in disgust, wondering whatever happened to being a gentleman. He rose from the sofa and went to her. "Let me help you with that, Daphne."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. That wretched woman from the condo board made me park five blocks away from the building and it took me forever just to get in here! I'm exhausted!"

"Of course you are."

"All I want is to take a nap but I've got to get these groceries put away. I suppose a nap can wait."

Immediately Niles set to work, unloading the bags and placing the groceries in the proper cabinets. "Dr. Crane, you don't have to do that. I'm perfectly capable of-."

"I know you are Daphne. And I would never insult your intelligence. I just wanted to help.

She smiled and hugged him tightly, affording him a whiff of her hair. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. That means so much to me. And so do you."

He held her close, his gentle hand running p and down her back. "You mean a lot to me too, Daphne."

And she always would. He just hoped that one day he'd be able to tell her how much she meant to him and that he always held her in his heart.


	12. Death and the Dog

_(Daphne's POV)_

The conversation around them was lively, but Daphne didn't feel like joining in. Ever since that silly dog therapist had come to the house, she'd become completely depressed. And while Eddie seemed to be having the time of his life, playing happily with his doll, everyone else had sunk into their own depression. But now it seemed that the Crane men had gotten over their sulking and even Roz looked happy. So why shouldn't she be happy?

The biscuits were warm and fresh out of the oven and they went well with the milk and ice cream. Comfort food to say the least. But it did little to comfort her. And as they sat at the table, she could feel Niles' eyes on her. If he only knew what she was thinking. However, she'd never tell a soul.

Surprisingly his hand slipped into hers and he leaned toward her. "Daphne, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Why?" She snapped.

"Oh… I don't know. You seem…"

"What, Dr. Crane? Upset? Well why shouldn't I be? All this talk about dying and death. I don't want anyone to die! I love you all so much and-."

When she began to sob, Frasier and Martin took notice. "Daphne, what is it? What's wrong?" Roz was asking.

"Nothing." She lied. "I-. I'm sorry." She said, glancing around the table. "Excuse me."

"Daphne-."

Ignoring Niles voice, she rose from her seat and went to the balcony, closing the door behind her. Outside the air was cool but she didn't care. She just wanted to be alone.

What was wrong with her? Just hours before she was in a good mood; happy, even. And now she couldn't seem to stop crying.

"Daphne?"

She whirled around, her heart warming at the sight of him. "Dr. Crane…" She wiped the embarrassing tears from her eyes and tried to smile. "I didn't mean to run out like that and I didn't mean to speak so cruelly to you. I'm sorry."

"It's all right, Daphne. I was just worried about you."

"I just kept thinking about what it might be like if I lost you." She heard him gasp and she knew that she'd said the wrong thing. He must think her daft. But she couldn't take the words back now.

"Daphne, that's…"

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, Dr. Crane. Your father and brother mean a lot to me. And Eddie too of course."

He lowered his head, making her wonder if she'd hurt his feelings yet again. "Right… Of course…" He said.

She had to make things right. To tell him how much she cared about him. "But you…" she said, taking his hands into hers as she pressed her lips against his soft cheek. "I'd miss you most of all."


	13. Four For The Seasaw

_(Niles' POV)_

Niles was absolutely miserable by the time he and Frasier returned from their trip to the cabin to the Elliott Bay Towers. Just when he'd finally found a woman who was appealing and who seemed to like him, he'd blown it yet again. But he wasn't going to feel guilty. He blamed Frasier for this. His older brother just never knew when to keep his mouth shut. And because of that, he and Frasier were forced to spend the night in the living room of the cabin, while Beth (the current object of Niles' affections) and Laura enjoyed the comfort of their respective bedrooms.

All Niles wanted to do now was to go home, unpack his belongings and sulk on his fainting couch while drinking a sherry. But the moment Frasier opened the door; Niles forgot all about his woes and focused instead on the figure that was lying on the sofa. Ignoring his brother he sat down his luggage and went to her, where his fears were confirmed. He knelt down beside her, wondering what could possibly be wrong. ""Daphne, what's happened?"  
She was lying there, wrapped in a blanket; a box of tissues on the coffee table. And she looked even more miserable than he felt.

"Oh, hello Dr. Crane. I feel bloody awful. The doctor says I have the flu, no thanks to your father!"  
"Hey, it's not my fault!"  
"Yes it is, old man!"  
"It's not!"  
"It is!"  
"All right, that's enough!" Frasier yelled. "Now what's this all about?"  
"Your father gave me the flu!" Daphne said.  
"That's ridiculous! I don't even have the flu!" Martin retorted.  
"That's because I haven't given it back to you yet, but it's coming!"  
"What's gotten into you anyway?"  
"Well, if you'd let me get a bloody flu shot like I asked you to, I wouldn't be feeling this way!"  
"Daphne, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can get you?" Niles asked.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane, but I'm fine. Or I will be…eventually."

"You certainly don't look fine. How about some soup?"  
She sighed. "Oh, that sounds wonderful, Dr. Crane. But I don't want you to go to any trouble. I know you just got back from your trip and-Oh… how was it anyway? You and that woman Beth seemed to be hitting it off quite nicely."

"Oh well… I'm afraid that Beth and I just weren't meant to be." He cast an annoyed glance at his brother.  
"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. She seemed really nice. But don't worry, you'll find someone. I'm sure of it."  
The words mirrored what she always said but somehow they meant more today and he took her hand. "Thank you, Daphne. That's very sweet of you to say. I'll get started on that soup."  
"Thank you…"  
He'd barely reached the kitchen when he looked back his heart warming when he saw that she'd fallen asleep. The poor angel. She looked so miserable and he'd do anything to make her feel better. The soup would definitely help, once it was ready, but in the meantime….  
He walked over to her and as gently as possible bent down to kiss her cheek. The feel of her skin on his lips was heavenly and he wanted so much to kiss her again. But he thought better of it and turned on his heels to head for the kitchen.

Perhaps he'd get another chance. Oh how he hoped that he would.


	14. To Kill a Talking Bird

(Daphen's POV)

It was with some reluctance that she walked out of the manager's office of "The Montana". She tried not to cry, for it was completely silly. She already had a job and crying would be pointless. But when she heard the words "I'm sorry." She knew exactly what they meant. She wasn't good enough to work there. It was true that she already had a job and she loved the Crane men dearly. But she felt that it was time for a change. She hadn't mentioned a word to Dr. Crane or his father, for she knew that they would be livid, but she hoped that in time they would understand. Now they didn't have to.

She brushed away a few escaping tears and headed for the door. But the sound of a familiar voice stopped her.

"Daphne?"

She turned and smiled, hoping her tears weren't visible. "Dr. Crane…"

"What are you doing here? Not that I mind of course."

"Oh… I had a meeting with the manager, about that job I applied for."

"Oh right… the job. Well, how did it go?"

"Not well I'm afraid. They turned me down."

"I'm sorry, Daphne. I know that's difficult. But there will be other jobs."

"Of course there will. And I already have a job; a wonderful job. Now, please don't get me wrong, Dr. Crane, I love your brother and your father very much, but sometimes it's not enough."

"If it's money, Frasier and I will be happy to-."

She smiled and took his hand. "It's not the money, although I appreciate it. I guess I really didn't want the job here at all. It's just the fact that they turned me down. It hurts."

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "Of course it does."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I'm being silly."

"No you're not."

"It would have been nice to work here, in the same building with you, even if we probably wouldn't see each other that much. Working at your father's, I see you almost every day. And I like that."

Niles smiled. "I like that too. But Daphne you're welcome here anytime you want. Day or night."

She hugged him even tighter. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. Thank you so much."


	15. Roz's Krantz and Goldstein are Dead

_(Niles' POV)_

Niles couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Daphne, is that true? You've lost a lot of patients?"

"Yes, and somehow it just gets easier to deal with the more it happens. I guess I'm just used to it."

"Well I don't want to hear about this. You're freaking me out, is what you're doing!"

"Mr. Crane, just because I've lost a few patients now and then doesn't mean that you're going to be one of them!"

"I don't intend to Daphne, but I still don't like the feeling of knowing that one day I'm going to die."

Niles shuddered, remembering how he'd lost his mother years before. He didn't know what he'd do if something happened to his father. He could hear Daphne and his dad bickering on and on about death until he just couldn't take it any longer. He quietly excused himself and went to make himself a sherry and then walked right past Frasier and Roz, who were discussing Roz's patients who had died unexpectedly at the nursing home, content to enjoy his drink on the balcony.

As he gazed out at the Space Needle, he thought about his dad and how different he was now than when he first moved into Frasier's. He'd gone from someone who was crotchety and disagreeable to (Dare Niles think it), a friend.

And that's when his emotions succeeded in getting the best of him. He blinked as tears filled his eyes and he made no effort to wipe them away. He didn't see the point. And besides, crying was good for the soul, although he so rarely cried he went merely on what he'd heard and what he'd constantly told his patients. Well, he didn't feel so good at the moment, so that myth about crying must have been just a myth. He was still pondering this thought when the door opened. He was so startled that he turned, forgetting all about the tears in his eyes.

"Dr. Crane, I-." She stopped and went to him, staring at him in disbelief. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing… I…"

"Your nose… it's bleeding. Are you all right?"

"What? I-." he reached for his handkerchief but she gently took it out of his hand and blotted his nose. "There, it's just a little nosebleed."

"Thank you, Daphne."

"You never told me what you're doing out here. Or why you're so upset."

"I was just thinking…"

"About what?"

"My mother."

"Mrs. Crane. Right… Your father and I were just talking about her. She sounds like a wonderful woman."

"She was. But actually I was thinking about Dad too."

"What about your father?"

"I was just thinking… about how much I'd miss him, if..."

She stepped back, her hands over her mouth. "Oh… Dr. Crane, I'm so sorry. I never thought…"

"It's all right."

"You really love your father, don't you? And you miss your mother terribly."

He was astounded by her perception. "Well, yes. Wow… you have an amazing gift, Daphne."

"It's not my being psychic, Dr. Crane. I can see how much you love your father and your mother."

"A vision?"

"No, I can see it in your eyes."

He smiled at her, unable to stop himself from engulfing her into his arms. And they held each other close in the darkness.


	16. The Unnatural

_(Daphne's POV)_

The crowd was going wild in anticipation of the KACL baseball game and Daphne could hardly contain her enthusiasm. "Oh, this is so exciting, isn't it, Dr. Crane?"

"Yes, it certainly is!" Niles replied.

"Daphne?"

She turned to the sweet little boy sitting between her and Niles. "Yes, Frederick?"  
"

I love you."

She smiled and hugged Frederick, unable to keep from laughing. How cute that an eight-year old considered her to be his girlfriend. "Oh, I love you, too, Frederick."

"Did you really like the picture that I drew of us, Daphne?"

"Oh, yes very much! I put it right on the refrigerator so that I can look at it every day."

"Daphne, can I ask you a question?"

"Certainly Frederick."

The little boy looked at her with big blue eyes and smiled. "Will you marry me for real when we get older?"

She laughed and hugged him tightly. He was the sweetest little boy she'd ever met and she hoped that one day she had a son exactly like him. "Oh Frederick, that's very sweet but it will be a long, long time before I get married."

"That's okay, I can wait..."

"Well, then yes, I'll marry you. How can I resist?"

His eyes widened. "You will? You mean it? You'll really marry me?"

"Yes, of course I mean it."

He jumped off of the bleachers and grinned. "I'm going to tell Dad and Grandpa!"

"Well, all right, but hurry back. You don't want to miss your dad's debut as a baseball player!" Daphne called to him."

When Frederick was gone, she threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, he's the sweetest little boy. I do love him so."

Niles' smile disappeared. "Right… So… You're engaged."

"Oh yes… Long engagements are best, don't you think? Let's see, he's eight now so by the time he's ready to be married he'll be at least… well, he'll probably be in his twenties and I'll be… Oh dear… Well, I'll be quite old, won't I?"

"You're engaged…" he said again. "I see…Well, that's wonderful, Daphne. I-."

"Dr. Crane, don't tell me that you're jealous. It's all in fun you know. I'm not really-." She paused, unable to believe what was happening. "You are jealous, aren't you?"

"No, I'm just…"

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Well, I…"

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane I had no idea."

"I know…. I've just kept it inside for so long."

"If you want to spend more time with your nephew, why didn't you just say so? I completely understand."

"I-I didn't… I mean… he seems to really like you. And I can't blame him."

"That's sweet, but I feel bad now."

"That wasn't my intention Daphne. I never-."

"Nonsense. Look, if you're worried about what he'll say, I'll talk to him. I'll tell him that I love him and I love spending time with him, but I'm just your father's physical therapist. You're his uncle and it's more important that he spend time with you."

"Daphne, you're not…"

"What?"

"You're not _just_ a physical therapist. You're…"

"What?"

"You're wonderful."

She couldn't resist hugging her friend. "Thank you Dr. Crane. Now I know why Freddie is so sweet. He gets it from you." Perhaps it was her imagination, but she could have sworn that Niles hugged her tighter. And she didn't mind at all.


	17. Roz's Turn

_(Niles' POV)_

Niles couldn't believe his luck. Roz had just asked him to play the role of Daphne's boyfriend, even if it was only through the use of a tape recorder. Roz was putting together an audition and needed people to be callers. And with any luck, his performance would somehow transition over to letting his feelings for Daphne be known. Dare he hope that she'd be so touched that she'd break down into tears (to which he would comfort her of course) and then tell him that she loved him too? And then they'd move closer to one another pressing their lips together until-.

"Niles, are you ready?"

He looked up sharply. "What?"

"For the _tape_ , Dr. Crane. Roz is getting ready to push the button." Daphne explained.

"Oh, right… of course. Yes, I'm ready."

"Okay, you all know what to do, right? Oh and Daphne I need it to be a spicy call, okay?"

"Of course, I can do that!" Daphne said, making Niles yearn for her even more.

As they sat at the table, Niles dutifully held the microphone in his hand. , Roz pushed RECORD and began her audition tape.

"Good afternoon, Seattle." Roz said into her own microphone. "I'm Roz Doyle and this is " _Love Matters_." Today we're chatting with Fred and Patty. Tell me you two, what made you think that your sex life needs a little jump start?"

"It's all his fault. He just seems to have lost interest in me!" Daphne said. Niles stared at her appalled. "I've done everything I can to entice him. I've... served dinner wearing nothing but high heels and an apron. I've called him at the office and talked dirty; and last night when he came home I was lying in bed

wearing a whipped cream teddy! But, did he care? No!"

Niles was mesmerized by the image that Daphne had just created.

"And none of this turns you on, Fred?" Roz was asking.

But Niles continued to stare into space, unable to believe what he'd just heard.

"Fred? Fred?"

"NILES!" Daphne screamed, making him jump.

"What?"

"Roz is talking to you." Daphne explained.

"What? Oh…"

"Let's cut to the chase." Roz said. "Patty, men are like fish. When you first hook 'em they wriggle around like crazy but once you finally reel them in they just lie there with that glassy look.

Niles couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That's terrible advice!"

"No it's not!" Roz retorted.

"Yes, it is! You have no idea how Niles really feels about Daphne! He loves her unconditionally!"

"Y-you mean Patty and Fred." Daphne said.

"What?"

"You mean _Patty and Fred,_ don't you, Dr. Crane?" Daphne repeated.

"No, I meant…."

Suddenly it dawned on him what he'd said and he was mortified. "Oh Dear God…"  
she reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's all right everyone makes mistakes. Either that or we were so good at our role playing that it felt real!" She threw her head back and laughed melodically. "I'm sorry. Let's just try it again, shall we?"

"Oh… okay…"

But his heart wasn't in it. His heart was somewhere else, beating nearly out of control.

Dreaming, wishing, hoping.


	18. Ham Radio

_(Daphne's POV)_

In ceremonious fashion, Frasier opened his front door, closed it behind him and then stood in the foyer, as though he were getting ready to conduct an orchestra. Daphne glanced at Martin and then back at Frasier. After what had transpired earlier, she knew that anything she said could be potentially dangerous to her employment status.

She finally settled on "Hello, Dr. Crane." It seemed harmless enough.

"Hey Fras." Martin joined in.

Frasier gave them a smile that wasn't quite sincere. "Hello, all."

"How was your evening?" The moment the words were out of Daphne's mouth, she regretted them. Frasier's eyes filled with fire and he glared at her. "My evening? My EVENING?" He yelled, his voice rising with each octave.

Martin held up his hand. "Fras, just calm down, okay? It was just a simple question!"

"Calm down, Dad? Calm down? Do you have _any_ idea what I've been through tonight? _Any idea at all?"_

"Fras, calm down!" Martin yelled. "So your little radio play didn't go as planned! It's not the end of the world!"

"Are you listening to yourself, Dad? Do you have any idea-."

The door opened to reveal a very ragged, very exhausted Niles, standing in the doorway. Daphne rose to her feet in disbelief. "Dr. Crane, what happened?"

Niles' eyes widened when he saw his brother. "Damn you, Frasier!"

"What?" Frasier asked with a shrug.

"That was… really clever." Niles said, gasping to catch his breath. "Trying to… trick me into… walking up…nineteen flights… of… stairs by… stopping the elevator!""

"You did what?" Daphne yelled.

"Frasier, what's gotten into you?" Marin shouted.

"Well you deserved it!" Frasier said. "You ruined my radio broadcast!"

"I ruined your radio broadcast?" Niles replied. "I didn't ruin anything. You did that all on your own!"

"I-DID-NOT!" Niles yelled. "Just because your cast members were a complete disaster!"

"Fras, I need a word with you!" Martin said.

"Can't it wait, Dad? I'm really-."

"No, Fras, NOW! Get your butt in here!"

"But Dad, where are we-Ouch, what in the hell are you doing yanking my arm like that?"

"Aw, you big baby, come on in here I want to talk to you!"

Daphne flashed a grateful smile to the elder Crane man and watched him yank Frasier into the hallway. Had she not been so concerned about Niles, she might have laughed at their behavior.

When they were gone she went to Niles and took his hand. "Come here, Dr. Crane. Let's go and sit down on the sofa."

He did as she asked and she sat down beside him, still holding his hand. "Dr. Crane, what happened?"

He was still trying to catch his breath and she heard him gasp as she loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. "Don't worry, I'll be very gentle."  
When he looked at her in surprise, she put her hand on his chest and began rubbing in small circles until his breathing returned to normal. "What happened, Dr. Crane?"

"It was a disaster, Daphne. All of it."

"What was?"

"T-the radio broadcast."

"Oh.. Right."

"You and Dad heard it, I assume."

"W-well yes, but-."

"I was horrible."

Her heart went out to him and she put her hand on his back. "No, Dr. Crane."

"That was the worst performance of my life."

"Now, don't be so hard on yourself. I thought you were quite good! The way you managed to do all of those voices, Oh, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!"

He grinned, looking like a little boy. "Y-you really liked it?"

"I loved it."

"Thank you, Daphne. That means-."

"Oh, I almost forgot." She said, springing from the sofa.

"What?"

"I'll be right back. I'm just going to make you some tea."'

"That's not necessary Daphne. I'll be fine."

"Nonsense. You've had a long walk and you look exhausted. Some tea will make you feel better. Cream and sugar, right?"

"Yes, thank you."

She went to the kitchen and began preparing the tea. It was a long process but it gave her time to think and she sat on the barstool, pondering her relationship with her friend. And finally the tea kettle whistled. She removed it from the stove and poured two cups of tea, adding some biscuits. He was surely hungry from walking up so many flights of stairs. But when she reached the living room, her heart melted.

He was sitting on the sofa, sound asleep. The poor man…

She went to him and sat beside him, smiling as she stroked his hair. It was unbelievably soft. And then she leaned to kiss his cheek, took off his shoes and carefully moved his feet to the sofa, covering him with a blanket.

And she couldn't resist kissing him again. "Goodnight, Dr. Crane."


	19. Three Dates and A Breakup-Part I

_(Niles' POV)_

The moment he opened the door he froze, unable to believe his eyes. For right in front of him, his brother stood in the living room with Daphne. As always she was breathtaking; an angel. But something was amiss. His brother and his angel were arguing.

"Do we always have to fight?" Daphne was asking.

"Well, it's your own fault!" Frasier snapped. "You started it!"

Frasier's words made Niles' blood boil. How dare he accuse a goddess of initiating a fight! How dare he!

"Can't we at least talk this out?" Daphne asked. "Come and sit with me on the bed."

Niles eyes widened. The bed? What on earth was going on? And what could they possibly be fighting about?

"I don't feel like sitting!" Frasier retorted, a little too bluntly for Niles' taste.

"Do you have to be so cold?"

Daphne's question tugged at Niles' heartstrings but somehow he managed to stay right where he was, although he longed to go to her.

"Well, you've made me angry!" Frasier replied.

To Niles' horror, Daphne began to cry. "You could at least put your arms around me!"

Frasier moved toward her in a pathetic attempt to comfort her. "Oh Daphne, I'm sorry!"

Well, it simply wasn't going to work. Daphne deserved more than a pathetic half-hearted hug.

"Come here, Daphne. I'll comfort you." Niles said.

Frasier and Daphne turned around, their faces registering complete shock.

"Dr. Crane…."

"Niles, what in the hell are you doing here? And more importantly, how did you get in here?"

Niles held up the gold key; the key that Frasier had given him in a case of an emergency, pulling it away quickly when Frasier lunged for it.

"Give me that!" Frasier shouted, lunging for it a second time. But again Niles pulled it away.

"NO!" Niles shouted. "It's mine! I won't give it to you!"

"You egomaniac, what's the meaning of this?"

"How dare you treat Daphne so horribly!" Niles shouted.

"Dr. Crane, I can explain…" Daphne began.

"Nonsense, Daphne. You shouldn't have to explain anything to this… jackass!"

"But Dr. Crane…"

Niles moved toward Daphne and put his arms around her, giving her a gentle squeeze. "See Frasier, that's all she was asking for. It wasn't as though she was asking for the world. She was just-."

"Oh for God's sake, Niles you imbecile! Daphne and I weren't fighting, we were _role-playing_!"

Niles eyes widened. " _Role-playing_?"

"That's right Niles. We were _role-playing_! Daphne and I saw Dad and Sherry fighting and it just sort of started a discussion about men and women. We were merely-."

But Niles had stopped listening. The thought that they were even pretending to fight, worrying him to no end appalled him and he was more than a little hurt. His brother had done some despicable things in the past, but this… and the fact that Daphne went along with it…

Feeling dejected, he pulled out of Daphne's arms. "Oh… I see…"

" _Do you_ Niles? Do you _really_ -."

"Dr. Crane that's enough!" Daphne shouted. "Leave your brother alone! We must have played our roles really well if he thought that we were really fighting, although it's kind of funny in a way."

When she laughed, Niles was even more humiliated. But he couldn't come right out and tell her so. And so he forced a laugh (albeit a completely insincere one) and sighed.

"Well, I certainly fell for that one didn't I?"

"Dr. Crane…"

"I suppose I'll just go home and leave you to your _role-playing_. Sorry I bothered you."

Without another word, Niles walked out of the condo and pushed the button for the elevator. As fate would have it, the doors opened immediately, ready to carry him down to the lobby. Once there he crossed the length of the room, making eye contact with no one.

He was about to insert his key into the ignition of his car when he was startled by the sound of someone knocking. He turned, gasping in surprise.

"Daphne…"

Immediately he turned off the ignition and then carefully hoped the door and climbed out of hot car. "Daphne, what are you doing here?"

"Dr. Crane I'm sorry. I know what that must have looked like, but I promise we weren't trying to hurt you. We heard your father and Sherry fighting and we wondered how such a thing was possible. They were getting along so well! .And when we saw them fighting,… I don't' know it just sparked a discussion. But we never meant to make you feel bad."

"It's all right, Daphne. I should have never assumed the worst."

She took his hand and squeezed gently. "Dr. Crane, may I say something?"

Daringly his eyes met hers. "Okay…"

When her hand went to his cheek he shuddered.

"I'm sorry…" She said quietly. "But hearing you say that you wanted to comfort me…"

"Oh right… well, I guess I didn't need to say them at all, did I ?"

"It was incredibly sweet."

His heart rate increased at her words and he longed to hear them once more. "It-It was?"

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I've never been more touched. Thank you, Dr. Crane."

He could feel his cheeks burning. "Well, you're welcome, Daphne."

"Why don't you come in for some coffee?"

"Oh no, I couldn't… I…."

"Please? I insist."

As he looked into her eyes of brown, he found that he couldn't say no. "All right. Thank you, Daphne."

She slipped her hand into his and they returned to the lobby where they shared another hug in the elevator. And once again he found himself looking down on Cloud Nine.


	20. Three Dates and a Breakup-Part II

_(Daphne's POV)_

She was getting quite good at her American accent, even if Frasier thought she was daft. And she decided to try it on his unsuspecting brother. So when he turned around after talking to his brother, she came up behind him, grinning. "Hey Dr. Crane, how's tricks?" She said her voice as low as possible.

He turned around, screaming in horror when he saw her. This definitely wasn't the reaction that she'd been expecting.

"Daphne, dear God, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying out my American accent!" She said in the same low voice.

"Well… stop it!" he yelled. "Stop it right now! Can't you see how insulting that is?"

Startled by his harshness, her smile disappeared. He'd never reprimanded her before and she felt strangely small. "I'm… sorry Dr. Crane. I didn't mean to offend."

"Well… you did… so…. We Americans are sensitive to our crude speech patterns!"

"I'm… I'm sorry." she said in her wobbly, yet normal voice.

"Just… don't let it happen again, all right?"

She nodded wordlessly, wondering why she was stung by the way he was speaking to her so harshly. She'd spoken to him in the same manner many times before, mostly in regards to his brother. But now it felt different.

"I-I'm sorry…"

"Fine…"

She turned to leave but stopped when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Daphne wait…"

Slowly she turned around, afraid to meet his gaze. "Dr. Crane… I can explain…"

"There's no need. I'm sorry, Daphne. I didn't mean to yell like that. I was just…"

"I was just trying out me American accent."

"Where… Where did you learn to speak that way?"

"From television. You pick up a lot of things watching American television."

"Well, it's… unbecoming!"

"Unbecoming? Dr. Crane, really! I'm not a bloody child!"

"No, I didn't mean it that way! I just meant…"

Now she was annoyed, and rightfully so. Her hands went to her hips and she glared at him. "What? What did you mean?"

"I…"

"Come on, out with it!"

"I just meant…. Well… Your own accent is so beautiful and…"

Immediately she softened, as tears sprang to her eyes. "Yes?"

"I love listening to you talk."

Her heart warmed. He'd never said such a thing to her before. "You do? Because your brother…"

"Forget about Frasier. Your accent… it's beautiful. I could listen to it all day."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. And before he could say anything more, she engulfed him into her arms and kissed his cheek, just inches from his lips. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. You have a beautiful voice too."

In response, he hugged her a little tighter and rubbed her back. "Thank you, Daphne. And... you're welcome.."

Oh, how she loved him.


	21. Daphne Hates Sherry

_(Niles POV)_

He'd barely recovered from fainting at the sight of her at his doorstep, and the gentle way she had nursed him back to health, when he was dealt another blow. It was bad enough that he found it almost impossible to resist her, but the stifling heat and the way she was using his fan to cool herself by moving her shirt hem up and down was bringing his mind to dangerous levels. And suddenly she was sitting beside him.

"What are you… doing here? Not that I… mind of course." He stammered.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. I'm sorry I barged in but I didn't have anywhere else to go. I was just so upset."

"What happened?"

"Sherry just makes me so mad!"

"What did she do this time?"

"She's been giving my number to strange men so that they'll call and ask me out!"

Niles was appalled. "How dare she!| Why would she do such a thing?"

"Because she says I'm too rigid!"

"Nonsense!"

"And that I'm too picky!"

"Poppycock!"

"And that I'd be much happier if I just went out and had sex with someone!"

He fell silent, having no idea how to respond. But his heart knew. Oh, how it knew. The things he wanted to say, the things he wanted to do. It was almost too much. And so he simply said the first thing that came to mind. "Just to play Devil's advocate."

When he saw her mouth fall open in disbelief, he knew that he'd said he wrong thing. The _completely_ wrong thing.

"Don't tell me that you agree with her!"

"Um, no… it's much too hot for hell to have frozen over."

"What?"

"I-um…"

She rose to her feet and grabbed her bag. "I can't believe this! I thought you were me friend, Dr. Crane. But now I see that you're no better than Sherry. I'm sorry I bothered you."

He watched helplessly as she started toward the door, wishing like hell that he could take back what he'd said. But as before, he had no idea what to say.

"Daphne, wait…"

She turned to him, startling him with the tears on her cheeks. Damn… what had he done?

"No… I have to go. I'll just… get a hotel room or something. There must be somewhere that I can go that doesn't cost a fortune…"

"Daphne, please… don't go."

"I'm sorry Dr. Crane. I really thought you were different. Goodbye."

He stood at the closed door only for a minute before opened it and pushed the button for the elevator. But the damn thing was taking much too long. And so he decided to take measures into his own hands. He headed down the hallway, opening the door that led to the stairwell. The very thought of being seemingly trapped (it was a definite possibility) in a closed in space made him dizzy, but the thought of Daphne being angry at him (and knowing that he was the cause of it) was even worse.

Bravely he descended the first section of stairs, then another, another and another… and on and on. By the time he reached the lobby, he was gasping for air. But he had no time to catch his breath. He had to find her.

He looked around the lobby but when he found no sign of her, he began to panic. Dear God, what if she had gotten in her car and sped to some horrid hotel? The thought pained him. But as if by fate, the elevator doors opened, revealing her beautiful tear-streaked face.

She gasped at the sight of him. "Dr. Crane… H-how did you get down here so quickly?"

He stood with his hands on his knees, unable to catch his breath and he felt as though he might faint. . "I ran… down... the stairwells. All... of them."

"Well good for you. You probably need your bloody exercise!"

The words were cruel, but he fully deserved them. "Daphne…"

She pushed her way past him, the sound of her sniffling breaking his heart even further. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a hotel to find."

Unaware of what he was doing, he grabbed her arm. "Daphne, wait… please. Don't go."

"Let go of me, please..."

"Only if you'll listen to me."

She sighed deeply, brushing away a tear. "All right."

"Daphne, I'm sorry. Those things I said… I didn't' mean them. I was just…. Well, I don't know what I was, but it was wrong of me to say them. I'm sorry I hurt you. And I'm sorry that Sherry said those things to you. She had no right. She has no right at all. Telling strange men to call you and ask you out… why it's preposterous!"

"I know…"

"You're more than welcome to…. stay with me, if you want to. If you don't… I completely understand. But at least let me help you find a suitable place to stay."

"Dr. Crane, that's not necessary."

"Of course it is. It's the least I can do after hurting you. Please?"

"I don't…"

"Please? Stay with me? I'd be honored."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and when they fell onto her cheeks, he wanted so much to brush them away. But he couldn't risk hurting her again. He had to take things slowly-if anything were ever to happen between them. And even if it wasn't meant to be, he didn't want to lose her friendship. He couldn't. It was all that he had.

"Daphne, I'm so sorry… Really I am. Please…" Boldly he held out his hand and his heart soared when she took it.

And her smile made him feel like he could fly.


	22. Are You Being Served

_(Daphne's POV)_

Daphne's eyes widened as she walked into the living room. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Frasier said, rather unconvincingly. "Niles is fine. He's just-."

"The hell he's not!" Martin said. "What's going on?"

"He's just having second thoughts about those divorce papers."

"Oh geez, you didn't try to talk him out of it, did you, Fras?"

Frasier glared at his father. "Of course not, why would you even suggest such a thing?"

"You're saying this is my fault?" Martin shot back.

But Daphne ignored the way the elder Crane men were bickering back and forth. Her eyes were focused on Niles and the way he was staggering around the room, like a zombie.

"I-I can't breathe!" He was saying… or trying to say.

She rushed over to help him. "Dr. Crane, wait-."

But he disappeared into the guest bathroom and shut the door, worrying her even more.

Frasier tugged at the doorknob but it was no use. Niles had apparently locked the door from the inside.

"Now Frasier, be careful what you say." Martin said. "There's no telling what Niles will do!"

"Niles!" Frasier yelled. "Just remember to keep breathing!" Frasier yelled. "This is not the end! Niles!"

A loud bang startled Daphne and she gasped in horror. No one said a word, and the three of them stared at one another. And then Daphne's tears began to fall. "No… No it can't be."

"Frasier, open the door." Martin ordered.

"But Dad, I-."

"There's a key right above it. Now go on and open it!"

"Oh, all right Dad, but-."

Daphne turned away, her body racked with sobs. She had no idea that it would come to this. No idea at all. She cried into her hands, devastated that she'd lost her best friend. But then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Daphne?"

She turned to find him standing in front of her and all it took was one glance at him. "Dr. Crane? What happened to you?"

"I'm just a little… hot… and foamy." He said.

"My hot and foamy must have exploded!" Martin yelled.

But Daphne burst into tears, and held out her arms.

"Daphne, don't!" Frasier warned. "Niles is-."

She fell into Niles arms, not caring at all that he was covered from head to toe in shaving cream. Her clothes were ruined but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was all right. She held him for a long, long time and finally he drew back. "Daphne?"

"Yes, Dr. Cr-Oh, your face! Just a minute." She ran into the bathroom and grabbed a hand towel, wetting it under the sink. And then she returned to the living room. As carefully as possible, she began wiping the shaving cream from his face until it was completely clean. "Are you all right?"

"I am now, thanks to you, Daphne."

"I was so scared… I thought…"

He hugged her again, rubbing her back. "It's all right. I'm fine."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"You're wel… Oh, dear God."

"What is it?"

"You're covered in shaving cream! Daphne I never intended-."

She looked down at her shirt and pants. "Oh…"

"Why don't you get cleaned up and I'll take you out to dinner?"

"No, Dr. Crane, that's not necessary."

"I insist."

She smiled and touched his cheek. "Well, in that case… I'll go change me clothes. Thank you, Dr. Crane…. And… I'm sorry you're hurting."

His smile disappeared, pulling at her heart. "I'm sorry too."


	23. Ask Me No Questions

_(Niles' POV)_

As he lay in his bed, alone in his massive master bedroom, he thought about his estranged wife, who was laying in the bed across the hall in his guest room. He tried to persuade her to spend the night, for he didn't want to part from her after their unplanned rendezvous that they'd shared earlier. But it was Maris after all, and he didn't want to do anything to ruin what they had, even if it was uncertain.

Frasier had been livid when he'd found out that Maris was staying at his place. And Niles had to admit that it was completely spontaneous. But he also knew that he was lonely- _very_ lonely. He needed someone and needed them desperately.

Daphne…

Her name came to mind instantly, for he wasn't really lonely for just anyone. He wanted Daphne. He wanted her more than anyone he could ever remember wanting. Maris was just a fill-in for the void he felt in his life.

But Daphne… she's the one he wanted so badly. She's the one he loved so deeply. It should be Daphne sharing his bed, kissing him, holding him, instead of his wife, who (even now) was succeeding at controlling him.

He was beginning to think that he and Daphne were never meant to be.

Suddenly he wanted to call her, just to hear her voice. It was the middle of the night… late into the night but he was willing to take the chance that she might still be awake.

Without hesitation he picked up the phone, having no idea what he would say, or what excuse he would give for calling. Dare he tell her that he was calling simply because he was thinking about her? Because he wanted to finally, after all of this time, wanted to tell her what was in his heart? Dare he hope that she would say that she loved him in return?

He brought the phone to his ear and with trembling fingers, dialed the number he knew so well.

It rang. And rang…. And rang… and then the ringing stopped.

"Hello?"

He swallowed hard, unable to speak.

"Hello, is anyone there? Hello?"

He opened his mouth and took a deep breath, only to hear the bell he'd grown so used to. And with a dejected sigh, he returned the phone to its base.

 _Damn..._

"Coming, Maris!" He called to his estranged wife as the bell rang again.


	24. Odd Man Out

_(Daphne's POV)_

She sighed wistfully at the idea of Frasier getting phone messages from a stranger. "You know, Doctor Crane, this Laura sounds like she might just be a perfect match for you. If you left now, you could meet that plane."

Frasier, not surprisingly, scoffed. "Oh please Daphne. A couple of phone calls and you're fixing us up already!"

"But think about it!" She said as her excitement began to build. "She plays the cello! You'd like that!"

"She appreciates neatness." Niles added, making Daphne's heart flutter.

Who knew that he was such a romantic? Who knew? She figured that he'd be rolling his eyes along with his older brother. Perhaps she'd underestimated him.

And then his father surprised her even more.

"She expresses affection easily. That's good."

Was Martin becoming a romantic as well? The thought was too good to be true.

"And she did mention being on her own too much. So we know that she's available." Niles said.

Daphne perched on the edge of the sofa, unable to stop staring at Niles. How was it that she'd never seen this side of him before? Had the crumbling of his marriage humbled him, made him more romantic? She bit her lip to hide her smile.

Frasier of coursed, was still not convinced. "Oh sure, it's fun to speculate, but, come on, you can't seriously be suggesting-."  
Suddenly Daphne's imagination was running wild. "But why not? I can't imagine a more exciting way to meet! The woman of your dreams steps off of a plane and there you are to rescue her."

She could feel Niles watching her and when their eyes met, he quickly looked away. And her heart filled with hope…

"Oh yeah, you can't beat meeting someone in a romantic way." Martin was saying.

"Dad, you met Mom over the chalk outline of a murder victim." Niles said, clearly appalled by the memory.

"So? It was romantic to us."

Daphne sighed wistfully once more. "I met a boy in a cute way once. I was eighteen and visiting

Stonehenge and this smashing young man came up to me and told me he was an actual descendent of the Druids."

Frasier scoffed. "Boy, that line would work."

She chose to ignore her boss' unflattering comment. It turned out that the line did work… for a while anyway.

"I met someone once flying home from college." Niles said. "I got bumped into first class, found myself sitting there next to a positively ravishing woman. She was a bit older and I was trying desperately be suave, so when she leaned over and suggested we join the Mile High Club, rather than admit that I was unfamiliar with the term, I whispered back. "I really don't travel enough to make that worthwhile."

Daphne wanted to laugh, for the idea was very funny, but she couldn't stop staring at him. He was so handsome and the more she thought about Frasier and this mystery woman who kept calling, the more she wanted a romantic scenario of her own.

But she knew that it would never happen, not with Niles anyway. And as Frasier bade them goodbye, she watched with hope… and with heartache.

If only she could tell Niles how she felt about him.

If only…

 **THE END** _(of Part 4... Parts 5-11 will follow!)_

 **A/N: Thank you so much for reading and I really appreciate any and all comments that my readers care enough to leave!** _  
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